Be ye sanctified wholly…spirit, soul, AND BODY!!!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
I teach that people grow in six ways…the same ways Luke 2:52 tells us that Jesus, in the fullness of His humanity, grew perfectly….The ways God created us all to reach full maturity.
In wisdom (intellectually and emotionally)
In stature (physically and morally)
In favor with God (spiritually) and
In favor with people (socially)!
Physically means not just achieving full height and size, but also having knowledge about self-care and healthful living!
God created us as tri-part beings, but many of us neglected the”body” portion of ourselves in the biblical call to be sanctified. The body has been something to mold to social standards of beauty or merely compliance with cultural “norms.” As the culture accepted changed faddish standards …… weight, tatooing, hairstyles and color, tanning, nail artistry, platform shoes, skirt lengths, cosmetic surgery, cleavage exposure, use of drugs for recreation, mood stabilization and weight management, so did Christians.
In the last two years I’ve been convicted about my body being not only for my use, but for God’s also. I’ve become more attentive to consideration of its care, not for vanity’s sake but for vigor, flexibility, and endurance…not in an athletic kind of way, but in a readiness-for-service-to-God’s purpose kind of way.
I’m learning to pace with less hurry, eat with an eye more toward energy and
wellbeing and less about pleasure and appetite…to appreciate the healing and renewing capacity of sleep, to enjoy water and be conscious daily of hydration, to use supplements with thoughtfulness about my body’s needs and being attentive to symptoms that there may be deficiencies, to move about, stretch, and be mindful of posture, conscientiousness for preventive care and keeping recommended regular well-care appointments, and seek His wisdom and perspective on how it works. He is, afterall, the One who created it!
All of this amounts to routine care and maintenance for the vehicle for my soul and spirit and that of God, as well, who desires to be fully abiding in all of me so that I may be part of His continued incarnation in the world with me, in me, through me…… and FOR ME!
I believe God wants me to enjoy life…..as healthfully as time, aging, and factors beyond the control of my wisdom and care will permit.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I was introduced to a hydration supplement and a collage supplement that has made a positive improvement in reduced joint aches from arthritis in the last year. My most recent medical checkup with my primary care doctor, he was pleased with the result of attention to tissue and joint health. I no longer require regular use of an NSAID that can adversely affect kidney health. My weight and BP have both come down. I check both regularly, but not compulsively.
I have no difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. All of this is a function of making physical wellbeing a daily goal. God knows the day’s needs before and better than I do and I try to listen to His counsel about my body. When rest is needed, I take it.
God desires full access to His servants’ bodies … to embody His strength for things He calls us to do, to go where He wishes to take us, to be His eyes, ears, mind, heart, hands, and feet to the world hobble and blinded by its lack of belief in Christ.
This Kingdom Prime old grey mare ain’t what she used to be…… Thank the Lord! His yoke is easier and lighter than the one I chose for myself for years. I think He has more for me to do and I gladly set myself to attune myself to walk in it with Him.
Wednesday I awoke to a moderately nagging ache in my left shoulder that ran all the way to my wrist. Five years ago I had consulted an ortho specialist for similar right shoulder pain that had started in the months after H. Michael and persisted. I was concerned then that it might be a torn rotator cuff and had not believed I had time from hurricane renovation and life recovery work to work in shoulder surgery, too, if required. Once COVID slowed life down I took time to go. It was not a tear, but “shoulder impingement syndrome. He said it was from poor posture and lifting technique in pulling and moving heavy objects for months on end after the storm! ( I can only imagine how many times he’d seen that since H.Michael!!) Six weeks of physical therapy worked to realign and strengthen musculature and tendons to open up my shoulder joints again and ease the pain. My left shoulder had never ached the way my right one did, so waking up to left shoulder pain made me stop and think. I recalled that women often have left shoulder pain radiating down the arm in heart attacks. I rejected that possibility, prayed, and went on about the morning with a slow and determined pace. After my devotional time, I did some stretches, took a long hot soothing shower and dressed, took morning supplements and meds with my first round of hydration, had some breakfast, held Bitsy a while and realized within that time the shoulder pain had ceased.
I’d had a busy and physical long weekend and Tuesday and Wednesday, as well. I had baked a lot on Wednesday, too, and unpacked a loaded down car from the weekend and had to repack for PC teaching trip Thursday morning. So, in retrospect the left shoulder pain didn’t seem surprising. I left home at 9:30 with no pain. Drove 31/2 hours, completed my day at 9:45pm. I took no pain meds, just one small cup of hot coffee. I
had no pain all day and awoke Friday with no pain.
I choose to focus on healing and well being, not pain. I believe attacking our body is one way the devil seeks to distract, disrupt, and dismantle our pursuit of God’s will. Far too often it is a successful ploy.